Category: Vegetables

As I walked into the Back Deck Restaurant on West Street in Boston on Sunday, I couldn’t believe that it had been over a year since I last attended a Boston Brunchers‘ event. It was also the first brunch where I got to use my new fancy camera!

Since the Patriots were playing in the AFC Championship game later that day, I knew I had to work at 3pm, so when Renee sent a contest around to win a seat at this brunch from 12pm-2pm, I knew I couldn’t pass up the chance to enter. When I was selected, I was beyond excited.

When I sat down, I was greeted by a few familiar faces, like Erika, Meghan, Liz and Jess. I wasted no time choosing a signature drink from their menu: an Orange Cooler, complete with OJ, orange vodka, Cointreau and lime juice. I loved it. If it was acceptable to have one of those every morning, I would. The alcohol was subtle, but present and the juice was fresh. Perfect start to brunch.

Each bruncher got to choose an item off of the menu to try and we decided to start with some appetizers to share at the table: grilled zucchini with a garlic mayo, eggplant spread on pita, squash soup, chicken livers, hot wings with dipping sauce, and a honey-drizzled grilled grapefruit. I wasn’t particularly fond of the chicken livers, and the grapefruit was difficult to eat, but everything else was delicious.

As I perused the menu trying to decide what to order, I felt the brunch menu leaned more towards lunch than breakfast. Maybe I’m just strange, but even during “brunch”, I almost always choose a breakfast item. So that’s what I did, settling on Eggs Diablo. I must’ve been feeling a little adventurous since a) I almost never order egg-y breakfast items and b) this dish came complete with a habenero sauce (which I asked for on the side just in case…)

I would say that the dish was good, but not mind-blowing. The eggs were perfectly cooked: fluffy, light and just runny enough, but I didn’t taste much spice on the “spicy” pork. The black beans and tortillas tasted as they should. I think I would’ve preferred toast to the tortillas under the beans. I didn’t really eat much of it. The crispy tortilla strips on top, however, were a textural element that I enjoyed. When I took taste of the habenero sauce, I was instantly thankful that I asked for it on the side. While tasty, even the smallest amount warmed my mouth and throat and any more would’ve overpowered the whole dish. When I was able to get everything on my fork all at once, I must say it was quite delicious. Separately, however, the elements on the plate were good, but not great.

The other menu item I was eyeing was the Challah French Toast, which the bruncher sitting next to me happened to order. The moment I took a bite, I knew it would’ve been more my style. It was crisp on the outside, creamy on the inside, and had a bourbon and caramelized banana sauce… Heaven. And, it was huge!

But we weren’t done yet. Our server came over with a dessert menu and, like our appetizers, we got a few to share. The “Drunken 3 Musketeer” ice cream was by far my favorite.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this brunch and would recommend Back Deck for any Sunday. Heads up – they have a kiddie menu too so don’t be afraid to bring the kiddos along! If you’re looking for a reasonably priced good time, try it out!

*The Back Deck provided brunch free of charge to the Boston Brunchers and I was asked to write a review of the meal and experience I had. ALL opinions stated here are my own.

Okay, it’s been approximately 3 or so weeks since I panicked about school and I haven’t written since. I hope you are still out there listening to me ramble in my now dust-covered corner of the Internet.

So it’s time to tidy up a bit.

In the past three weeks, I’ve calmed down and gotten through my first few projects for my grad classes. I survived. And did pretty well. Maybe I overreacted a bit at the beginning. Maybe.

A lot has been going on here at Chocolate & Wine. Here are some highlights:

2 weekends ago, I attended 2 weddings: my cousin George married his beautiful fiancé (of 4 years!) Julie, and my friend Raechel married the love of her life, Steve. Both weddings were gorgeous and I cried a lot. Of course I did. I realized how much I can’t wait to plan a wedding of my own!

George & Julie's Wedding with the family

And wedding #2..

Raechel and Steve

This past weekend, I spent Friday in the North End with Stephen and we FINALLY got to go out for his birthday surprise. I took him to Riccardo’s Ristorante where they put on a “Mystery Cafe” show every Friday night and serve a three-course meal. The show was hilarious, if not a bit cheesy, and the food was as genuinely Italian as you’d expect from the North End. Highly recommended for good food and a good time.

We capped our night with beers at a bar called The Point and goodies from my favorite North End bakery.

Heart You.

Saturday was party marathon day. Together, my two best friends and I tackled a “I’m Pretty Good at Drinking Beer” party (where we consumed no beer or any beverage other than iced coffee), taco night hosted by Alyse (which were de-lish!), a Halloween party and finally, my sister’s 21st birthday celebration at Tequila Rain in Boston.

Swy, Jeff, Alyse... That's nice.

Did you know Halloween is one of my favorite holidays?

So freaky, so cool, so legit. Cat costumes are the way to go.

And it wouldn’t be a 21st birthday without a 16-ounce beer in each hand.

Happy 21st! Here's 2 Coors Lights.

Sunday brought another 3 events: the Boston Bruncher’s 1st Birthday Brunch at the Island Creek Oyster Bar on Comm Ave. in Boston, my good friend Miriah’s daughter’s Christening (that little baby is nothing short of an angel) and a 4-hour dance rehearsal with DanceWorks Boston (always a fun time!)

A sneak peak into Birthday Brunch!

Then on to the Christening…

You can't tell me she isn't the cutest baby in the world..

I made favors… Oreo ball truffles with a piped pink A on each one, individually wrapped with a pink ribbon and a tag.

Not bad considering I usually stink at piping.

They came out pretty freakin’ cute.

Everybody loved them. Makes me happy when people like what I make!

Along with my jam-packed weekends and filming/editing-laden school schedule, I managed to get in a couple of quick training runs for my 3rd 5K coming up this weekend! I, along with my friend Kim, will run the Witch City 5K in Salem, maybe even dressed up a bit.

This upcoming weekend also brings pumpkin carving with my BU friends and a huge DanceWorks Boston Halloween costume party on Saturday night. I will, unfortunately, have to keep my drinking to a minimum because of the race on Sunday morning, but that won’t stop me from wearing those cat eyes!

I promise not to wait another 3 weeks to post. I have finally pulled myself out of a slight rut I had fallen into, but I’m back and excited.

And I had delicious Bon Me truck food for dinner the other night: a brown rice bowl with tofu, shitaki mushrooms, cilantro, pickled veggies, bean sprouts and mesclun greens. YUM.

Healthy and filling.

I wanna know: What’s new in your life? What would your dream wedding consist of? And what are you being for Halloween this year?

It’s Friday… the best day of the week! Many happy things going on lately.

Grad school starts in 3 weeks. I’m excited and nervous. I won’t be all alone; one of the guys who went to my high school also got into my program, so at least I’ll have one friend. Nevertheless, the nerves are definitely there.

DanceWorks Boston is back in action. I’m in 5 routines and could not be happier that I get to dance 3 nights a week. It keeps me sane, the show is going to be out of this world and I’ve met some great friends through it. And my piece is going to be unreal, just saying.

I ran 3.1 miles yesterday at a 9:50 pace. My first 5K pace was around 10:50 min/mile, so I was thrilled to get through the same distance today, 3 months later, a whole minute per mile faster. I felt great doing it and I was super sweaty at the end. Win.

I have 2 more 5Ks and my first 10K coming up. Chelmsford, Salem and finally, the Tufts Women 10K in Boston. Obviously I still have more training to do for the 10K, but I think I’ll be able to pull it off. P.S. If you’d like to be my running buddy for any of these, please let me know!

I plan on running a half marathon before next spring. Yes, you heard me correctly – a half marathon. 13.1 miles. I considered the Cape Cod Half at the end of October but at the moment, it’s not in the cards. I have some awesome training plans and lots of support thanks to my runner friends. A half is definitely happening within the next year. I currently have my eye on the 2012 Great Bay Half Marathon in Newmarket, NH. We’ll see.

I made a kickass dinner last night. Chicken breasts stuffed with a spinach, low fat ricotta cheese and pancetta mixture, spiced corn-on-the-cob and broccoli. Anything with spinach and cheese just calls my name.

Earlier last week, boyfriend asked me if I would be interested in going to the Patriots game on Thursday night. Wait, the opening Pats game at Gillette, aka the start of football season? Of course I want to go. Duh. Oh, and the seats are 24 rows up from the field? Can I take my best friend too?

Sweet.

When Thursday night rolled around, three of us (myself, boyfriend and Alyse) headed to Foxboro for the game. After getting beer (our number 1 priority the second we got through security), we found out seats.

Check out those Pats shirts.

Many beers later, the Pats dominated the Jaguars 47-12 and we left the game very happy (and maybe even a little buzzed.)

Check out those seats!

For my first ever Pats game, I would say it was wildly successful.

The next night, Friday night, meant one thing: Cooking.

As my good friend and fellow blogger, Megan, quotes “So you know how some people say they need retail therapy? I often need cooking therapy.” That pretty much hits the nail on the head.

I knew I wanted to try a recipe I haven’t tackled yet. I also wanted something I have been craving for a while. A few months ago, I went to a restaurant in Boston called Cafeteria and ordered their veggie burger. Ever since then, I have been determined to recreate it. On Friday night, I got pretty close.

In a food processor, combine onion, garlic and bell pepper until finely chopped. Add 1 can of black beans, egg, parsley, basil and red pepper and pulse to combine. (The mixture will be slightly liquid-y.)

Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining can of black beans and the breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper and mix well until thoroughly combined.

Divide into 4-6 portions, depending on how big you want your burgers to be. Place in the warmed skillet coated with a thin layer of oil and cook about 4-6 minutes per side or until heated through.

Place burger on toasted hamburger half. Spread chipotle mayo (as much as you like, but be careful – there’s a definite kick to it!) on the top half and place arugula leaves on top. Spread about a tablespoon of goat cheese directly on the bean burger. Place mayo/arugula-ed half on cheesy burger and enjoy!

Is it weird to crave veggie burgers? Maybe...

The next item on the cooking agenda? Meringue cookies. Simple, melt-in-your-mouth, I could eat 50 in one sitting, meringue cookies. They took a little longer than I expected, but were delicious, airy and the perfect thing to bring to my aunt’s drinking party casual get-together later that night.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Place egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat eggs on high speed until you can no longer see the bottom of the bowl, about 6 minutes or until the foam can hold soft peaks.

With the speed still on high, gradually add the sugar until the egg whites hold stiff peaks. Then, beat in the vanilla extract.

Transfer egg white mixture to a piping back or a plastic storage bag with the tip snipped off. Pipe swirled kisses on prepared baking sheet and place in oven. Bake for an hour and ten minutes with the oven door completely shut. Seriously, don’t open it. Not even to peek. Even the slightest change in temperature while baking meringues can cause them to break. After an hour and ten minutes, the cookies should be slightly browned and dry. If you pick one up and the middle is still wet, continue to bake in 5 minute intervals until done.

Shiny pillows of sugary goodness

After my cooking and baking excursion on Friday afternoon, I rounded the night off with some quality time at my aunt’s house and drank copious amounts of red wine. Solid Friday overall.

Saturday marked a very special occasion: the day the first of my best friends got married.

I met Amy in college and we became close friends while being involved in school musicals together. On Saturday, in a beautiful Catholic church in Nashua, NH, she said “I Do” to the love of her life in a gorgeous white dress. The second my friends and I saw her, we all started crying. It was a beautiful ceremony.

Saying "I Do"

And then, we partied.

College friends at the wedding receptionMaid of Honor, Groom and Bride

She and her new husband are now honeymooning in the White Mountains and I hope they are having a fabulous time. Congrats Amy & Alex!

On Sunday morning, after a late night and many glasses of wine, Stephen and I headed back to Massachusetts so he could go to work and I could go to the mall with my parents, during tax-free weekend, to buy my first Mac laptop. Even though I’m not computer savvy at all, it has rapidly become my favorite new toy. It needs a name… suggestions?

Sunday night, I cooked again. I know, I was on a cooking roll this weekend. And a roll was exactly what I made. Craving more of my Friday night goat cheese and arugula combo, I sliced a large eggplant, grilled it, spread goat cheese on it, pressed on some arugula leaves, rolled them up and together, my father and I devoured each one.

Mmm... eggplant

After a wonderful weekend, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. And then I took a kickass muscle class at the gym and the new season of DanceWorks Boston started on Monday night.

Win.

How was your weekend? Are any of your best friends getting married? And what do you think of veggie burgers?

The last weekend of April is always a blur. The weather is all over the place (sunshine here, rain there, 40 degrees, 80 degrees), it’s the first in 5 years that I haven’t celebrated Pup Cup (which is a typical “Spring Weekend” at my college, complete with nonstop partying and endless amounts of alcohol) and everyone is looking forward to getting April over with and moving into May.

Normally, I am one of those people but this year, I slowed down the last weekend of April and it was truly something special. This post is dedicated to an amazing Friday night.

After work on Friday, I raced home to get a quick Jillian Michael’s Shred Workout in with anxious anticipation of the night’s events. My Aunt Debbie treated me to a one-of-a-kind experience. She surprised me with tickets to “The Cooking Show” at The Rustic Kitchen in Boston. The Rustic Kitchen is an eclectic restaurant, simple and sophisticated from the outside, warm and inviting on the inside. The wine list was extensive and the food, embedded tradition in newly renovated classics.When we arrived, our party (myself, Aunt Deb, my Uncle Gene and friend Janine) settled ourselves at the bar for pre-dinner drinks and apps. Knowing we would be eating graciously in a short while, we decided on a batch of lightly battered calamari (with a spicy kick) and prosciutto with housemade mozzarella. I had a glass of red wine, of course, but not my usual Cabernet. This was 2006 Malbec from Catena, Argentina. It was deep and bold and I think I might be trying Malbecs more often. Aunt Deb got a delicious white, Caymus Conundrum via California 2008, and it reminded me of a spicy Asti Spumonti. Already slightly buzzed and tummy no longer growling, we moved onto The Cooking Show set.

I found my place setting and bellied up to the table. In between me and Deb sat a multi-topping pizza as a pre-show snack. As you read in my other post, I usually don’t eat pizza but in the moment, I had to try the mushroom. The slices were small but oh so satisfying. Not greasy, just crispy enough with the perfect amount of cheese. A glass of the night’s selected wine, Crabalis Vermentino, begged to be tasted. Despite my general disinterest in white wine, I loved it.

When the taping began, I felt as though I had been transported to an episode of Emeril Live. The lights flashed, music blared and an announcer welcomed our host, Liz Bramwell, a 26-year old Culinary Institute of America graduate. A petite woman, you would more likely mistaken Liz as a college student rather than a successful chef, but she would shock you with an extensive resume including head pastry and chef experiences in famed restaurants on Cape Cod and in Vegas. Liz started the show off by introducing her assistant, Pepe, and offering a toast (I was pleased to see her raise her own wineglass to her intimate audience.)

First, Liz prepared a cold vegetable terrine with roasted vegetables. Eggplant slices, zucchini, summer squash and asparagus drizzled in olive oil, then baked until soft while she blanched Boston bib lettuce and lined a loaf pan with them. She placed the roasted veggies in delicately, including a middle layer of herbed goat cheese. Once assembled, she pressed it down, sealed it with plastic wrap and stuck it in the fridge to set up for “at least 8 hours” but more like 24.

Served with a slice of the loaf was a sundried tomato coulis and a thick balsamic glaze. After chilling for 24 hours, the flavors of the roasted vegetables deeply complimented each other and the goat cheese provided a salty bite to the overall dish. It was simple, but decadent and elegant as well.

Next, after several more questions and toasts (and many wine refills thanks to Pepe), Liz moved on to the main course, Seafood en Parchment. First, she made an herb butter, combining softened unsalted butter with bright basil, thyme, parsley and garlic. She then cut a large piece of parchment paper into a heart shape and brushed it with melted butter. She layered chiffoned zucchini, summer squash, leeks, carrots and red baby potatoes on the bottom before stacking 2 jumbo shrimp, a thick 4-ounce seabass fillet and 2 large scallops on top. 2 thick slices of herb butter followed before Liz folded and secured the parchment and popped it into the oven.

When it arrived in front of me, I cut open the top of the parchment to release the steam and was greeted by the delightful scent of perfectly cooked seafood. The scallops were tender and creamy, the shrimp delicately pink and the sea bass, well, let’s just say I’ll be cooking that more often. The overall dish was light and flavorful.

After a final toast, Liz closed the show, leaving her audience full of wonderful food and maybe a bit buzzed from bottomless wine. We realized before the show started that we had been seated next to Liz’s parents, Paula and Whitey. They were a fun couple, taking the brunt of many jokes when Liz poked fun at them during the show. You could see instantly that they were a close and loving family.

Shortly after the taping ended, we continue to chat with Paula and Whitey. Of course, my blogger cards were out the whole time and after about 10 minutes, Liz came back to the set to chat with her guests. I think I monopolized her a bit. My aunt snapped about a million pictures of me behind the set and if I do say so myself, I look good back there. And the best part of it was that Liz, although incredibly successful for someone so young (she’s even got restaurant openings in the works!), was completely down-to-earth and fun-loving, someone I would hang out with, someone my friends would love.

After thanking her and saying good-bye to her parents, we left Boston around 9:30. Not ready to end the night just yet, Aunt Deb, Uncle Gene and I head to the Red Rock Bistro in Swampscott for an after-dinner drink (more wine, please!) Once home, I fell promptly fell asleep on the couch til about 3AM when Giada diLaurentis’ voice woke me up. I slept like a rock the rest of the night.

Action shot!

I highly recommend The Rustic Kitchen for a special occasion or just to sample their wine list. Or splurge and go see The Cooking Show. Either way, don’t forget to make a reservation before hand. This place is sure to get super popular very fast. Oh and Food Network, give Liz her own show, ya hear?

As a kid, I always loved pizza and french fries. That’s probably explanation why I was a chubba growing up. French fries were side dish staple to any kid’s meal, my favorite being McDonald’s. As for pizza, well, let’s just say that even my 14-year old self could put away a couple of decent sized slices.

Nowadays, I no longer eat fast food and pizza is a fleeting indulgence, eaten sparingly and in small amounts. So how do I satisfy even the worst junk food cravings? I make my own.

I spend a lot of my time scouring the Hungry Girl website and cookbooks for healthy ways to make over my favorite foods. She has a zillion pizza recipes and a few takes on fries as well, all without the guilt (and tighter pants) that come from the originals. Last week, when boyfriend and I wanted pizza and fries but I didn’t want take out, I pulled out HG’s book and went to work.

Butternut squash fries are by far one of my most favorite recipes ever. It’s not really a recipe, even, just a few simple ingredients and your oven set at a high temp. Butternut squash has a similar starchy quality to potatoes without being loaded with calories. I like to buy b-nut squash halves that are already peeled and de-seeded because it’s easier, but if you want to have a knife fight with a whole one, I wish you the best of luck.

Now, onto the pizza… Portobello mushrooms have always been high on my list of favorite foods but is something I don’t eat all that often. I have no explanation for this. Nevertheless, they are the “crust”, if you will, to my pizza and along with a few other things, I think the meaty texture and taste of the ‘shroom makes it even better than its traditional counterparts. Try it if you don’t believe me. Oh, and these babies are so low in fat and calories, that Stephen and I ate 2 each. You can’t beat that.

Butternut Squash Fries
From Hungry Girl

Ingredients:
1/2 large butternut squash, peeled and de-seeded
Salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Carefully cut your squash into fry shapes (you could also use a crinkle cutter like this one…) and sprinkle with salt.

Lay slice on a paper towel and let some of the moisture release out of it, about 5 minutes. Then, blot the fry shapes with dry paper towel to make sure all of the extra moisture is out (this will help them crisp in the oven.)

Lay on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through until squash is cooked through. Sometimes, to get them extra crispy, I turn the broil onto high and let them roast an extra 4-5 minutes (Watch them carefully so they don’t burn!)

Remove mushroom stems, chop and set aside. Place mushroom caps on baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray, round side down. Bake 8 minutes or until softened.

Meanwhile, tear each string cheese into shreds and roughly chop. Set aside.

Remove sheet from oven but leave the oven on. Blot excess liquid (there will be quite a bit) from caps and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix crushed tomatoes, garlic and onion powder. Equally distribute between mushroom caps and spread until smooth & even. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the sauce layer followed by mushroom cap pieces and turkey peps if desired.

So I’ve been on a Hungry Girl kick lately. I want to make everything in her new 300 Under 300 cookbook and I’ve been trekking right along. Tuesday nights are my biggest cooking nights during the week because after work and the gym, all I want to do is make new recipes for my family. So far, they have turned out pretty well.

I decided on a complex, no-noodle veggie lasagna recipe with so-simple-I-could-make-it-with-my-eyes-closed bacon & ranch chicken. I say the lasagna was a bit complex because it requires a good amount of prepping before the actual oven cooking begins. It was worth it. It takes about 30 minutes to cook at 425 degrees so when there was about 15-20 minutes left on the timer, I slid the chicken in too.

Now, just a heads up about the serving size. Obviously, it’s one chicken breast per person but the lasagna also serves 4. When I read the recipe in the HG cookbook, it said 4 SUPER-HUGE portions. I didn’t believe her. I mean, an 8×8 isn’t that big. The portions can’t be that big either. How wrong I was. I couldn’t even eat the whole portion. You’ve been warned.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bring a large skillet to high heat and spray generously with nonstick cooking spray. Lay some paper towels next to the stovetop to drain excess liquid from veggies as they cook.

Cook as many zucchini and mushrooms you can lay flat in the pan at a time for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels. Continue until all zucchini and mushrooms are cooked, respraying in between each batch. Cook the eggplant 4-5 minutes per side, also respraying in between batches.

To assemble: Spray a deep 8×8 baking dish with nonstick spray. Even spread 1 cup of crushed tomatoes on the bottom of the dish. Layer half of the veggies over the tomatoes, eggplant first, then zucchini, then mushrooms. Top veggies with half of the spinach-cheese mixture. Lay the rest of the veggies over the spinach-cheese mixture in the same order as before, followed by the rest of the spinach and cheese. Top with the remaining crushed tomatoes and spread evenly. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and parm-style cheese over the crushed tomatoes.

Place on a large baking sheet and pop in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until heated through and the cheeese on top is bubbly and golden brown.

Spray a small baking sheet with nonstick spray. Lay the chicken on the sheet and spray the tops with nonstick spray as well. Rub 1/2 TB of ranch mix on each breast, front and back, and repeat with 1/2 TB bacon bits for each. Lay flat on the baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until cooked through and tender, 15-20 minutes.

For those of you who have never had your wisdom teeth out, consider yourselves VERY lucky. I had mine out a week before I turned 18. I ate way too many McDonald’s chocolate milkshakes and looked like a chipmunk for about a week. Then proceeded to go on a roadtrip with 3 friends to New Jersey to go to 6 Flags for my birthday – still puffy. Not the most attractive week of my life.

Me and Melissa in Barcelona, Spain

My sister had hers out a week ago and her surgery didn’t go as well as mine. Poor kid – she hardly ate all week so when she needed “substance” the other night, I made mac and cheese from scratch for the first time in my life. I had to overcook the pasta a bit so she could chew it but you don’t have to. I’m happy to say that she liked it and is now (almost) fully recovered from her not-so-great experience with her wisdom teeth.

In a saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add the flour and seasonings and stir consistently to form a roux. Cook an additional 3 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste – you will notice the mixture begin to thicken. Add wine then gradually add the milk.

Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly until sauce is thickened and smooth. Add cheese and continue stirring until it has fully melted and the sauce tastes like cheesy heaven.

Combine the macaroni and the sauce and pour into a generously greased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle top with extra cheese and bake in a 350 for approximately 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve while hot.Serves 4-6.

I will say, I wanted to eat it SO badly. I resisted. Instead, I bypassed the carbs (and the meat since it was Friday) and had a craving for scallops instead. While at the grocery store, the strawberries looks particularly good and I knew I already had walnuts at home. I grabbed a few cans of mandarin oranges, some fresh baby spinach and a red onion. A summer salad complimented by warm, seared scallops.

Light, delicious, perfect.

Warm Scallop Salad

Ingredients: (Makes 1 salad)
Fresh bay scallops (the BIG ones!), about 5-6 per person
Fresh baby spinach (approximately 2 cups)
1 14-ounce can of mandarin oranges (in Sugar-Free juice), drained
Fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
2 TB red onion, finely chopped
2 TB chopped walnuts
Dressing: Total optional. I have a feeling that citrus-y dressings would be divine on this salad, but I dressed it with about a tablespoon of plain Balsamic vinegar. Plain would also be great.

I know I promised St. Patrick’s Day treats and they are coming, I swear! At the moment, I am experiencing problems with my camera and I want to get the gorgeous photos on with the post.

In the meantime, I have guest posted again! This time, it is for my good friend, Christine. She has a beautiful blog about good style and good living as she chases her dreams in NYC. Her blog, Bun & Borough, covers everything from food to gratitude to running. She is truly an inspiration and as she says in my intro, we’ve been friends for 14 years – back to the days when my mom picked out my clothes and I had a not-so-cool hairstyle. She stuck with me through it all.

I was in New York all weekend for dance but before I left, I made a spaghetti squash casserole for dinner on Thursday night. It’s made with low-fat ingredients but you’d never know because it was so delicious. And talk about easy – your oven does most of the work!

Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite foods because it doubles as a pasta swap. It’s is great for you without harming your waistline. Being so low in fat and calories also means you can add things like low-fat cheese to the squash without throwing your diet (or lack there of) completely out the window. Did I mention it’s delicious? I did… and I just did again.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a very sharp knife, carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out all of the seeds and stringy flesh and discard. Place squash cut side down on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with non-stick spray. Gently prick the outside of the squash halves with a fork (to allow the veggie to steam while cooking). Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until tender and easily pierced with a sharp knife.

Meanwhile, spray a frying pan generously with non-stick cooking spray. (Don’t be afraid to get it nice and slick; the spray is taking the place of olive oil.) Saute the onion, garlic and basil together over medium-high heat until soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook over medium heat until the mixture is dry.

When spaghetti squash is tender, scrape out the flesh into a large bowl using a fork. It should resemble very thin spaghetti, almost angel hair. (Use a heat glove to prevent burns.) Get as much of the flesh out of the squash as possible – this could get a little messy.

To the squash, add the onion mixture, mozzarella and cottage cheese. Mix gently to combine. Spread squash mixture evently into a 9×13 baking dish that has been coated lightly with nonstick spray. Top with the handful of parmesan and breadcrumbs. Bake in oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly around the edges.

And as for my exciting news… well, I will be guest posting again for a different blog sometime within the next week or two. My good friend Christine writes a beautiful blog called Bun & Borough. She posts daily (an accomplishment in itself) and covers all topics from fashion to music, running to food. She is truly an inspiration and destined to be a famous writer, I’m convinced. I will be doing all of that cooking tonight and will let you know when it will be posted on her blog!

Oh – I also start my 5K training today… 3 days a week for 9 weeks. I’ve never been a runner.. EVER. So, we’ll see how this goes. The goal is to run my first 5K sometime in mid-May before I travel to Oklahoma for dance. I hope to get through it. 30 minutes may not seem like a long time to run for some people, but for me right now, it seems like an eternity.